Grey foxes are native to 12 different countries ranging from southern Canada to the South American countries Venezuela and Columbia. They can be found throughout the United States, except in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. The subspecies of grey fox that lives Florida is the Urocyon cinereoargenteus floridanus, which exists in the Gulf States that lie in the southeastern United States. These states include southern South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and eastern Texas.

What Is Their Habitat in the Wild Like?

Grey foxes prefer to make their home in deciduous forests and brushy woodlands that lie in lower elevations. They are almost always surrounded by trees, brush, or shrubbery. Grey foxes prefer areas with more cover because of their reclusive nature, and they do their best to stay hidden from people and other animals. However, sometimes they can be found living on the outskirts of urban areas. Proximity to water and availability of food are also requirements grey foxes when it comes to choosing a place to settle down.

Where Do They Live?

Grey foxes will use their long claws to dig a den or they will find another small mammal’s abandoned underground burrow to live in. It is more common, though, for their dens to be located in hollow trees or logs, rock piles, crevices between and under cliffs, and even in the lower forest canopy. Using its ability to climb trees, the U. cinereoargenteus will sometimes create its den in hollow tree trunks and limbs, up to 32 feet above the forest floor! Dry leaves, shredded bark, and grass serve as additional components of their homes. Grey foxes are territorial, so they will use their scent glands and urine to mark what belongs to them. A grey fox’s home range usually extends from about two to seven miles, but they only cover a small portion of this each day.